


Noir

by Lhaewiel



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-26
Updated: 2012-05-26
Packaged: 2017-11-06 01:22:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/413160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lhaewiel/pseuds/Lhaewiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"A man with black hair crossed the entrance of his house.<br/>His red eyes studied the room he had just entered for a bit, then went to the table right before a French window, where a personal computer was turned off."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blood red, white, black and melody

**Author's Note:**

> I have to say that the base plot is that of the anime series "Noir", but the protagonists are Xaxus and Squalo. I hope you'll like it! BTW English is not my mothertongue, I hope I haven't done mistakes!

**Chapter One – Blood red, white, black and melody**

_Someone is looking the red eyed man from afar. The crowd doesn’t notice._

A man with black hair crossed the entrance of his house.   
His red eyes studied the room he had just entered for a bit, then went to the table right before a French window, where a personal computer was turned off. 

He switched on the pc with an annoyed gesture. Quickly he checked his e-mail. 

He had received only one mail. 

Barely suppressing his annoyed breath, he opened it. A weird message came out.  
“Come with me to a pilgrimage to your past and mine. Squalo Superbia”

He thought of a bad joke. He pulled out one of his guns, pointing it towards the computer.   
Just when he was about to pull the trigger, a melody spread its notes through the room.   
It was a simple melody, just like a sort of lullaby.   
He opened his eyes wide and stopped.

_The white haired man is running apparently without a precise destination, his sword has become red from all the blood of those who are after him. He doesn’t have time to waste, he has to be there, because he knows that person will come. “He will come, I’m sure.” He’s thinking, while easily dodging that rain of bullets._

It was sunset when Xanxus finally reached that apparently abandoned building, outside from the city.   
He had followed from afar the long haired man, and finally had stopped before him, who was standing before the setting sun.   
Xanxus pointed at him his two guns.

“Who are you, trash?”  
His tone was like the calm before the storm, angry, mad.   
The black haired was ready to pull the trigger at the least movement of the other. The latter slowly raised the left hand, the one with a sword linked to it.   
Again Xanxus couldn’t pull the trigger. That melody, that sweet lullaby stopped him again.

The white haired man turned towards him, then looked right into those red eyes. Then:  
“Voooi, I’ve waited for you for a long time.”

This time Xanxus seriously pulled the triggers.   
Two bullets missed the other, who ran into the building, grinning. 

The black haired began to follow him, but he heard some bullets explode just too much near him. He turned his head just in time to see some other men shooting.   
Without hesitation he killed them with few bullets, then ran into the building to find that man – and possibly kill him, since now he was as mad as hell!

When he entered the building he saw some of those man lying on the ground, dead. They seemed to have been slaughtered by a knife or something similar, judging by the wounds.  
“That piece of trash did it?”

He then heard some steps, just in time to realize that he had been followed. He shot other gunshots, killing those men so easily it seemed nearly a natural gesture.   
Xanxus then saw a glimpse of that long white hair right on the corner of his left eye and ran after him.  
“That trash sure knows how to run…”

He thought enraged, gritting his teeth. Soon enough the black haired man was surrounded by others of those who were shooting.   
He pointed his guns towards them.

“Tch… You sure are persistent, for scum like you.”,  
He said in a despiteful tone. Then added as a note to himself:

-That white haired scum will pay for this!

But, before he could even shoot one bullet, he saw the shining of a blade, then those men fell down to the floor. 

The white haired man grinned, fixing his light blue eyes into those red of Xanxus, then jumped and slaughtered down the remaining enemies as easily as if he was just walking with his sword, attached to his left hand.

When Xanxus saw the other man finally standing still, he pointed one last time his guns towards him.  
“Now it’s time for you to die, trash.”

His tone was like the calm before the storm. But again that melody spread its notes through the building. Xanxus lowered his guns and breathed in an annoyed way.

“So what’s your fucking name?”

This was the first thing Xanxus said once he had reached the long haired man’s house together with him. The latter didn’t answer immediately.   
He took out an ID card, then said:

“Squalo Superbia. That’s my name.”

“That’s not your name.”

Squalo simply nodded as if it was a matter of fact and then grinned.

“Vooi, you guessed it right, maybe.”

Xanxus pointed one gun at Squalo’s head. In a threatening tone he said:

“What do you know?”

Squalo answered as if he was explaining the weather broadcast.

“Xanxus, adopted son of a powerful Mafia boss. Assassin, leader of a Squad called Varia.”  
“And what about you?”

Squalo didn’t answer.   
That threatening tone was becoming way too annoying for him.   
His expression changed, showing annoyance, maybe a little of rage.

“You seem well informed about me, why should I tell you this?”  
Squalo snapped.   
A bullet exploded at a distance of two centimetres from his head.

“Trash like you mustn’t speak so bravely. I’m going to kill you if you don’t give me a convincing explanation.”  
The white haired man looked at him for a bit. That man was surely fearsome, Squalo thought. Then he began to speak.

_Squalo wakes up.  
He doesn’t remember anything, he’s there apparently for a casualty. He goes through the room he is in, gazes at the clothes.   
Opening the cupboard, he looks into the drawers and finds that object.  
Then looks at the walls and finds the blade of a sword.   
He takes it and puts it on his prosthetic hand. It fit perfectly. He has no time to waste, though, those men are already after him, and even if he doesn’t remember, he knows he has to look for him. He slaughters those men, his enemies, as he can see. He runs towards a place where he can be safe._

“That’s not all, you’re hiding something. Take that object out, _now_.”

Squalo nodded, putting a silver clock on the table.   
He pushed a button at the side of the clock, so the clock would show the time. That melody resounded again through the room.   
Xanxus looked at that clock with an indefinite expression.

_The black haired boy is in the middle of his house’s hall, among his father’s men.  
He looks surprised, he only can hear that melody. He doesn’t know why, he doesn’t know how should he take this, he doesn’t know if he can speak to someone about this, moving his red eyes around the hall._

With an enraged tone, gritting his teeth Xanxus said:  
“Stop that shit!”  
Squalo stopped the melody, but suddenly retorted:  
“It’s not shit, you fuck…”  
Another gunshot made him desist from talking.  
“Next bullet will pierce your head, trash. So,what do you want from me?”  
“I want you to help me.”  
He waited for an answer.   
Xanxus breathed annoyed.

“Listen.   
Number one: I’m an assassin. I don’t work with anyone, especially I don’t work with scum like you.   
Number two: I don’t help people.”

“Then, wouldn’t it be more simple for you if you take me with you, since now I know your job?”  
Those red eyes fixed him for some minutes. Then:  
“Heh… You’re sharper than I imagined, trash. What would be your payment?”

Squalo answered without hesitation.  
“I will devote this sword to you. I will devote myself to you.”

“When all this shit is over, I’ll kill you.”  
“Voi!, I’ll wait for that moment.”, he grinned slightly.

A pause accompanied those words.   
Then Xanxus said:  
“Prepare yourself, you scum, or I’ll leave you behind.”  
Squalo nodded.

So Xanxus made preparations to let Squalo stay at his place for a bit.


	2. Daily Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A car stopped before a house where a child was playing. A man got off the car, the child happily ran towards him."

**Chapter 2 – Daily bread**

A car stopped before a house where a child was playing. A man got off the car, the child happily ran towards him.  
\- Daddy, daddy, you’re here!  
\- Yes, Henri, I’m here.  
He took the child into his arms, while a blonde woman with a sleeping baby in her arms, his wife, quietly approached him. They talked for a bit, then they went together in the house. Right after the door was closed, a big explosion destroyed the whole house.

Xanxus was quietly walking home, followed by Squalo, who held a bag full of food. They stopped at a bar to take a coffee. Squalo gazed inattentively at the small television set on a shelf by the counter, seeing that the a chief officer of the ministry had died along with his family. Then they both went home.  
Xanxus switched on the computer and checked his e-mail. He breathed annoyed, then:  
\- Oi, trash, get useful, we’ve got a job.  
Squalo looked in an annoyed way at the image that had appeared on the screen – the face of a the officer who had died the day before. Without looking at the white haired man, Xanxus quickly read the details of the target.

The funeral was celebrated at the church. There were mostly high ranked people from the Ministry and the Departments, since the victim was a high officer. One of them was the chief of the Department. He was approached by a man, an officer, who seemed to be just arrived there. The officer whispered to him:  
\- May I talk to you?  
The man nodded, then quietly went with the officer. Once they reached a place where no one would hear them, they started to talk.  
\- That’s a real problem.  
\- Yes, indeed.  
\- The other two victims were petty officers, but this time it’s an high rank one.  
\- What should we do?  
\- The only thing I can say it’s that there’s been a leaking of information out of the Department, otherwise I can’t explain it.  
One of the two men breathed.  
\- We’re going to have lots of troubles if the president discovers this.  
\- Then we shall keep this secret.  
After this, they both looked at the already finished ceremony.

Squalo was reporting Xanxus about what he discovered. The red eyed man, drinking a glass of wine, quietly listened to him.

_Squalo is apparently going as he is just doing a walk through the street, mentally cursing the fact that he hates that kind of work. Looking for information is not one of the things he likes to do. But since it’s Xanxus who has told him – no, not told, him – ordered him to do so, previously warning him with a gunshot that he’d be dead if he doesn’t go looking for information, he has to do that work. He has devoted his sword and himself to Xanxus by the way, so he assumes that’s also part of their sort of pact.  
Squalo actually is following that chief Department without being noticed. The latter enters into a brasserie, sits on a chair. Then quietly he begins talking apparently to himself.  
\- We have to be careful. We’re risking way too much, they’re beginning to suspect about us.  
A voice behind that man answers.  
\- Then we have to act now, otherwise we won’t have another chance.  
\- I agree.  
Then, without a word, the said chief who has spoken first stands up and leaves. When Squalo is sure that no one will notice him, he also leaves and goes home._

\- So there are links between the chief of the Department and the leader of the terrorist attacks.  
Squalo nodded.  
\- You’re quite good, for being trash.  
\- Vooi, I’m not doing this anymore, I hate that shit.  
Xanxus laughed, then he said serious:  
\- Anyway tonight we’ll go. Our contact has given me the blueprint of the building.  
He threw a glass at Squalo, then added, ignoring the white haired man’s complainings:  
\- Just listen here, you scum. You’ll be entering from the back of the building, dealing with the guards that may be there, I’m entering from the front door. Here’s the room where our target will be. Got it?  
\- Yeah, yeah, I’m not stupid, fuck.  
Xanxus held back his homicidal intentions. It wasn’t a clever thing to do killing him right in that moment.

_A man is tied to a chair. Others are threatening him, pointing their guns at his head. Then he enters the room. The leader of the terrorists speaks.  
\- So you said that an assassin was hired to kill me?  
His voice is surprisingly calm. The victim shivers. He keeps questioning him.  
\- What’s the name of the assassin you hired?  
The man doesn’t answer. A gunshot hits his leg, he screams in pain. Hardly breathing he says:  
\- The assassin… Noir it’s the name…  
The leader stays still for a bit, pondering.  
“Noir… The top-class assassin…”  
After this thought he orders his men to kill the tied man. Soon after this the chief Department makes his entrance.  
\- There should be a very good reason for you having called me so suddenly.  
\- Yes, there is. Noir, the top-class assassin has been hired to kill us.  
\- That’s quite a problem.  
\- We’ll deal with it. Tonight he will arrive to kill us._

Squalo, as planned, entered from the back door as silent as a shadow. He quickly got rid of the two men who were guarding the back entrance, mercilessly slicing them up with his sword. When he heard other guards coming towards him, he grinned.  
“Tch… It seems that they knew we were coming…”  
He put up the creepy smile of a murderous marionette and the expression of one who has just won the national lottery. Then:  
\- Vooi, who’s the next one to be sliced up?  
Meanwhile, Xanxus entered from the front door. With two gunshots he killed the two guards. When he heard that someone else was coming, he got angry. He didn’t expect at all that the target would know he was coming. With a pissed off expression he shot, killing other guards and went to the place he should have killed his target.  
When he got there, he saw only the corpse of a man. Then the door closed behind him as his target came in. The latter was followed by two of his underlings.  
\- Give up, Noir. Put down your gun.  
Xanxus didn’t answer, but he kept pointing the gun at the terrorist. He slowly began to lower his gun. When he felt that the three had lowered their guard, he quickly pointed the other gun and shot some bullets, killing the two underlings, while with the other murdered the terrorist. He went away to keep up with Squalo, getting rid of the last enemies he encountered.  
Squalo, in the meanwhile, dealt with the other target as quickly as he could. He dodged the bullets shot at him, and with a thrust he murdered the man before him.

When Xanxus and Squalo got out of the building it was dawn. Breaking the silence that had fallen between the two, Xanxus said:  
\- Oi, trash. That’s our daily bread. Got it?  
Squalo nodded. The black haired man added:  
\- You kill, you get what you need to live.  
\- Yeah, yeah. I don’t mind it at all.  
The white haired man yawned. The sun brightened the two of them, as they were going home.


	3. The assassination play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While walking past the graves, he noticed, at some metres from his right, a woman, who was standing still before a grave. After some minutes she left, without noticing him.

**Chapter 3 – The assassination play**

_Noir it is the name of an ancient fate, two maidens who govern death, the peace of the newly born their black hands protect.  
(Noir)_

Xanxus was quietly walking under the heavy rain in a cemetery. He wasn´t there because he was one who would go visiting graves. His reasons were known only to him. While walking past the graves, he noticed, at some metres from his right, a woman, who was standing still before a grave. After some minutes she left, without noticing him.  
He went by the grave where he saw her standing before and saw a bouquet of white lilies. He was slightly surprised. He turned his head towards the direction that woman took to go out of that place and shook his head. On the grave there were white lilies.

\- We have a job.  
Xanxus said so in an annoyed tone, while tapping on the keyboard of his computer. Squalo, laying half asleep on his bed, just answered in a neutral tone:  
\- Who’s the target?  
Xanxus frowned and said:  
\- Just don’t lay uselessly on that bed, you scum, come here and listen.  
Squalo cursed a bit, but he went near the red eyed man, and asked for more information.   
Xanxus began to explain.  
\- The name’s Albert Duxl, quite a notorious villain.  
On the computer screen appeared the target’s name. Xanxus kept talking.  
\- Albert Dulx is a star in the rise of the business world. However, when the young president died in an accident… When questioned no one struggled to see it as an accident.  
On the screen the article of the so-called accident appeared. Xanxus stretched his arms, while clicking the print button. Squalo took the paper that was coming out of the printer, looked at it for a moment then showed it.  
\- Who’s this?  
\- The young president’s wife. Our client.  
The picture showed a woman with long hair. Her name, written in the description under the image, was Bianchi.  
\- Do you know her?  
Xanxus didn’t answer. He was thinking of when he passed by her at the cemetery.  
\- Vooi, did you see her before?  
\- Don’t shout in my ears, you dumbfuck. Yeah, kind of. I saw her at the cemetery.  
Squalo paused.  
\- And the hell were you doing at the cemetery?  
A gun was pointed at him.  
\- None of your fucking business. Now go talk to our client and come back with some informations.

That was how Squalo came up to a flower shop. He had to have an excuse to meet her, so he thought about bringing with him some flowers. His choice was a bouquet of red lilies. He cursed under his breath, because he was again sent to do a work he hated.  
Bianchi turned away from the grave she was standing at, and saw a quite embarrassed long haired man with a bouquet of red lilies. She was surprised and looked suspiciously at him for a moment. Anyway she did not show her suspicions. She smiled instead.  
While the two were walking out of the cemetery, Bianchi began to speak.  
\- We’ve never met before, haven’t we?  
Squalo nodded.  
\- Is someone you held dear buried here?  
\- Kind of.  
Said Squalo looking away. He didn’t know what to say.  
\- Is your lover buried here?  
\- Vooi, why would you say that?  
Squalo got angry. The woman laughed lightly, then answered:  
\- If you bring red lilies to someone, I must assume your lover is buried somewhere in this cemetery.  
The sentence was incomprehensible for the white haired man. When they got out of the cemetery, they both sat on a bench. Bianchi kept talking.  
\- Do you know the “language of flowers”? Every flower has got a meaning. Red lilies mean passion and love. So that’s why I asked you whether your lover was buried there.  
Squalo nodded. The woman added:  
\- You know, the most important thing in life is love.  
He mentally cursed Xanxus for having him make such a job. He was the least person on earth to talk about those things with. Anyway he kept listening to Bianchi. It was sunset when Squalo left Bianchi to go home.

Squalo, laying on the bed, finished to clean his sword, while Xanxus was cleaning his guns. When they finished, they both pointed their weapons against each other.  
\- So we’re going, uh?  
\- Yeah, trash, we’re going, so move up your lazy ass. It’s a golden opportunity, since our chicken just built a resort that hasn’t been inaugurated yet.

The resort was nearly all covered by the shadows, once they had gotten rid of the guards everything would have been easy. They entered from the back of the building as silent as shadows, one from the emergency stairs, the other from the elevator. Xanxus killed the two guards, then went directly towards the place where the target was. He quietly opened the door, entering quickly and pointing his guns towards the shadow at the window. As he was about to shoot, some lights coming from the floor blinded him. Then he heard Albert Duxl’s voice.  
\- So you are Noir. That’s quite a surprise.  
He heard him laugh. Some steps were heard coming from the left of the room Xanxus was in. Bianchi quietly had come in from one of the two lateral doors. Xanxus bit his bottom lip, surprised to see his client with his target. He heard Duxl’s voice again.  
\- Drop your guns and raise your arms.  
Xanxus didn’t have so many choices, so he did as told. His chances to get again his guns were very low. He breathed. He felt he had fallen into a trap.

Squalo had the feeling like someone being behind the door he was about to enter, and he had seen right, as he easily sliced two men with his sword. It was a trap, so, if Xanxus had gone directly towards the target, then he should be in troubles. He reached the point where Xanxus was supposed to go, getting rid of the ones who stepped in his way. Hiding in the shadows he killed also the guards who were standing before the room Xanxus and the target were in.  
Bianchi and Albert Duxl turned their heads towards the door that was being opened and saw two of their underlings fall to the floor, sliced to death. In the meanwhile they had a glimpse of Xanxus getting away following a white haired man. Bianchi whispered, more to herself:  
\- So it was you…  
Duxl went to the control room, scanning in rage all the monitors. He could see clearly the two, Xanxus and Squalo, slicing and shooting down all the cameras placed in the neuralgic points of the building through the corridors. He looked at Bianchi.  
\- Let’s put up with plan B.  
The woman just nodded.

Xanxus and Squalo finally reached a dark room, and closed the door behind them. Apparently that was the room where a sort of casino, along with a counter. The red eyed man was mad. He said:  
\- Shit, that was a game for them. Our client was with them. They couldn’t possibly know who we were. How? Who told them about us?  
Squalo answered.  
\- The enemy.  
Xanxus paused, then turned around and looked into Squalo’s eyes.  
\- The one who stole your memory?  
The white haired man behind him nodded. A screen lit up, making both men gazing at it. It was showing those words: “Target: Noir”. Xanxus laughed bitterly.  
\- So they were after us in the end.  
\- So it seems.  
\- What a bad joke.  
Squalo switched on the light. As quiet as the calm before the storm, Xanxus sat on a chair by the counter. Seeing a bottle of Cognac, he went to take it and served himself a glass. The white haired swordsman opened his eyes wide.  
\- Vooi, the hell are you doing?!  
He nearly screamed. He couldn’t possibly understand that. Xanxus simply answered in an annoyed tone:  
\- Just don’t scream, trash, it’s better that we relax.  
\- But…  
\- If we get panicked, we will just play their game.  
After saying that, he sipped a bit of the liquor quietly. He was listening to every noise. Finally he heard some steps. He left the glass on the counter, then made a gesture to Squalo to explain him they had to hide somewhere in the room.

When the men hired by Albert Duxl came into the casino built into that resort, they found nobody. One second later, with their great surprise, they had a glimpse of a blade and a gun, then they were lying on the floor, either shot or sliced up. With a sign, Xanxus made Squalo understand he would go away to find either the target or the woman, while the latter just had to cover him. He ran away from the casino, descending various floors while shooting bullets to get rid of his pursuers. He found himself finally in what he could imagine it was a storage room. He closed his eyes, lowering his guns, to hear even the least movement. As silent as a shadow, Bianchi was approaching him, her poisonous dagger pointed towards the black haired man. Xanxus opened his eyes and turned around just in time to see that Bianchi was above him, hanging from the ceiling, her dagger pointed right towards his heart. He pointed both his guns at her and shot.  
Meanwhile, Squalo easily got rid of the last underlings, slicing them up. Duxl stepped behind him, making him turn towards his pointed gun.  
\- The game is over.  
\- Vooi, do you REALLY think so?  
Answered a grinning Squalo. He felt that the bullet was shot, so he dodged it leaning at his left, then killed the man with a blow, not even letting him make a sound. Then he ran towards Xanxus, a bit worried, since he had heard some shoots. When he arrived at the storage room, he saw him standing before Bianchi. Xanxus was questioning the dying woman.  
\- Who hired you?  
\- Would you tell me, if you were in my shoes?  
Feebly answered Bianchi. Xanxus shook his head, denying. Squalo, seeing that scene, felt the need to say something.  
\- Is Bianchi your true name?  
\- What would be the point in telling you?  
\- … I can go visit your grave.  
Xanxus was stunned for a moment. That guy was just too complicated to understand for him. Squalo kept talking in a somewhat neutral tone.  
\- Who’s buried in that grave you always would visit? Your husband?  
\- … No…  
\- Then who?  
\- … The one I loved.  
\- What’s your name?  
\- There’s no point in telling you. I’m an assassin, I will have neither a name nor a grave, since like you I’m already dead a long time ago.  
With those words she died. Xanxus came out of the building, dragging along Squalo. It was sunset.

Some days later, Squalo was walking through the cemetery with a bouquet of red lilies into his hands. He stopped at a grave, the rain was falling. In one second he threw the flowers in the air, thinking.  
“I know this is not your grave, but I felt that this was at least necessary, Bianchi.”  
And with that he turned around and went home.


	4. The Sound of Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The sun was shining bright. In a gorgeous villa, one of the most elegant ones in that street, there was a party. Most of elite of the country was attending at it, celebrating what seemed to be a great event."

**Chapter 4 - The Sound of Waves**

_And the sound of the mountain was heard.  
(Kawabata Yasunari – Yama no Oto)_

The sun was shining bright. In a gorgeous villa, one of the most elegant ones in that street, there was a party. Most of elite of the country was attending at it, celebrating what seemed to be a great event. In the garden of the villa, decorated with colourful flowers, was very lively. The women were chatting about the latest gossips, while the men were busy with the necessary etiquette. There was also a buffet, where the many waiters served the guests with the aperitif. Not far from the buffet table some men were greeting each other. Among them there was the owner of the villa, the General Canora.  
« Your Excellency, congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Defense. »  
The General turned towards the man who had just spoken.  
« Ah, it’s you, Tanner. Thanks for coming. »  
His tone expressed accomplishment.  
« As a representative of the Atride Corporation, I congratulate you. »  
« This is all thanks to you. »  
Said the Minister raising the glass he had into his right hand. Tanner answered in a modest tone:  
« Not at all. We believe that this is also the result of your unnate virtues. Among the citizens who consider the presidential faction to be the source of their problems, I hear their hopes for you, general Canora, are definitely growing up. »  
Both men then laughed. General Canora answered:  
« Anyway this is a big step forward your project as well. Ulgia now has a true leader and you have gained a big fortune. »  
« We are much oblidged. »  
In that moment a waiter approached the General and Tanner with a small tray, on which there were two glasses of wine. His long white hair was combed in a tail, his light-blue eyes were silently scanning those guests behind a pair of glasses. Those latter ones didn’t care much about any of the waiters, anyway. Tanner and his companion, both standing in front of General Canora, took the wine. Then the waiter left smirking slightly. The two men continued talking.  
« Next year seems to be a very fruitful year. »  
« Yes, Sir. »  
They touched glasses.  
« This is a celebration in advance. Please, do enjoy yourselves. »  
« Thank you very much, Sir. »

He was sitting on the stairs by the entrance of the villa, his red eyes looking towards an indefinite point in front of him. He was smoking quietly, apparently lost in his thoughts. He looked for an instant at the cigarette while frowning a bit. Then he heard some footsteps coming from behind, so he slowly turned his head towards the owner of those footsteps. The man just leaned to a pillar, then said, more to himself than to others:  
« By next year this country’s population will have been halved. »  
Then he took out a packet of cigarettes, looking for a lighter, that he didn’t find. He then turned towards the red eyed man who was sitting on the stairs next to him.  
« Excuse me, do you perhaps have a lighter, please? »  
He only received a cold glance, then saw the other man looking into his jacket, so he bowed his head and waited. When he looked again at the other he could not speak, because he saw a gun pointed at him. In a cold but scornful tone the red eyed man said:  
« Don’t you dare screaming, because you will be dead in less than a second. Don’t dare say nothing, or I’ll make you suffer in your own death. »  
Then, without adding a single word he shot, then left as quick as he could.  
In the meanwhile, at the party, Tanner and his companion were suffering the atrocities of the death by poisoning. The white haired waiter just smirked and left as quick as he could.

Xanxus was driving like mad towards a place where no one could find neither him nor his accomplice Squalo, who, holding tight the seat where he was sitting, was now telling him some informations about their target.  
« An international security service. That is ostensibly what the Atride Corporation does, but they’re currently a coup d’état coordinators. They find regions with potential for conflict, then they approach the party with the influential power. They offer to take care of everything and anything, from planning to training soldiers, deploying personnel and buying weapons. Fuck, they’ve made up quite a business, don’t you think? »  
Xanxus emitted an annoyed breath, then answered:  
« Whatever, they’re just scum. »  
Squalo nodded, then said:  
« Just drive better, I don’t want to die in an accident, you dumb! »  
« Does it look like we have time to respect some fucking rules of the road, you moron? »  
« Just slow down! »  
« Shut up stupid shark. I’m driving, not you. »  
In quite a short time, anyway, they were arrived by a quiet house right next to the sea. Squalo got out of the car cursing like hell and went inside the house, opening it with the keys he had into his hand. Xanxus parked the car behind the house, between some trees, then entered the house too. The white haired man was looking at the sea leaned on a balcony. The sea breeze was moving gently his long hair.

At the Atride Corporation the atmosphere was tense. The main chief, accompanied by his secretary, made his entrance and went straight into his office. When he had sat down on his chair by the desk, while two of his underlings stood up before him, he received a call from General Canora, who was complaining about them. The answer was quick.  
« But Your Excellency, we have already invested a great sum in this, so there is no turning back now. »  
There was a pause that served to hear the Minister’s response, then the Corporation chief said:  
« Yes, I came to Ulgia with the intention to do so. If you absolutely insist on breaking our contract, we will be forced to disclose the nature of our investment. If that happens, Your Excellency will be… »  
There were few seconds of silence.  
« Yes, please, carefully reconsider it. Goodbye. »  
He then quit the onversation, then looked at his two underlings. One of them said:  
« It seems that Canora has completely lost his nerve. »  
« I’m not letting him to cancel this. We’ve spent three years planning for this project. The right to work on a mine or two won’t make up for that. »  
The other underling then asked:  
« Do you suppose that the people who killed Tanner and Foster were from the presidential faction after all? »  
The answer came from his companion.  
« They don’t have to be. We’ve done works from all over the world. It wouldn’t be surprising if it was someone who hates us. »  
The chief cut the discussion.  
« That’s part of our business. Tanner and Foster were just unlucky. But that’s all it was. There are always noxious pests in filthy places. We can’t be bothered with each and everyone of them… But we’ll crush this one. »

Squalo was looking at the sea, while Xanxus was tapping something on his laptop something. The latter was talking.  
« We have three more targets left: the president Hammond and his men, Burke and Wellman. Understood? »  
Seeing that Squalo wasn’t answering, he threw at him a glass full of wine, hitting him.  
« Vooi! The hell…? »  
« Did you understand what I just said, trash? »  
« Yeah, yeah! »  
Then he just turned to listen to the quiet sound of the waves crashing onto the shore with a pensive look.

_They’re following him, targeting him to kill him without a specific reason. He goes into a small clearing and hides himself, somewhat. When they come and find no one, they look puzzled. In that moment, when they lower their guard, he slashes them with some quick blows of his sword. Then he just stands up, grinning slightly before getting away as quickly as he can._

At the airport the president Hammond was nervous. He seemed to wait for someone, looking at th frequency he gazed at his watch. Squalo was watching him from a distance.  
« He seems to wait for someone. »  
Xanxus just breathed annoyed.  
« Tch. There are guards in hiding. »  
« Four of them, right? »  
« No, scum. Six of them, learn how to count. »  
The white haired man, then, noticed two more guards, then looked at Xanxus for a long instant.  
In the meanwhile a girl arrived, then waved at mister Hammond saying:  
« Dad! »  
The man didn’t move. The girl reached him then asked:  
« Dad! Did you wait for a long time? »  
The answer was a strong slap on her cheek. The girl put up a hurt gaze. His father did not even look at her.  
When the two, father and daughter, arrived at the hotel and got into the booked room, mister Hammond began to talk.  
« Why did you come all over the way here uninvited? »  
The girl just peeked at his father’s back without answering.  
« I’m here in Ulgia for business. I’ll hear to whatever you have to say in New York. »  
« Ulgia or New York won’t make a big difference. I won’t get to see you anyway. »  
Then she added in an enraged tone:  
« You were always like that! That’s why mum… »  
His father cut her speech off.  
« Anyway you’re going back with tomorrow’s flight. »  
« Can’t I stay here until tomorrow? »  
« NO! »  
The girl emitted a resigned breath.  
« I knew it. You don’t even remember. »  
« Remember what? »  
« The day after tomorrow is my birthday. »  
The man looked surprised for a moment, then said in a severe tone:  
« You heard me. You’ll come back with tomorrow’s flight. »  
With this he considered the discussion closed, so he left without a word.

At the house where Xanxus and Squalo were resting everything was quiet. They discovered that the girl was called Rosalie Hammond, the president’s daughter. During the night Squalo couldn’t sleep. He was thinking about himself, accompanied by the quiet sound of the waves.  
“Who am I? I am noir. Besides that I don’t remember nothing. Fuck. Where is my memory?”

Passing by his daughter’s room at the hotel, the president Hammond said that she would be coming back not that day, but the day after that. Rosalie felt happy.  
While the man was going at the Corporation, his underling informed him.  
« We’re in the process. We’re looking into everyone who could hate us. The assassin and his client will pay for what was done to Tanner and Foster. »  
Mister Hammond just nodded in silence. He stopped by to buy a present for her daughter, then he went at work. He quickly went into his office and sat down on the chair by his desk. He put the present next to the photo of his former wife and his daughter. Then he heard his men knocking at the door. They entered and one of them said:  
« A strange letter arrived just now. »  
« A letter? »  
The president opened it. Inside the folder there was a map, on which a point was signalled. The writing under the point said “Noir”.  
« So the assassin is Noir, the top-class one. »  
Hammond thought for a bit, then said:  
« Near that point there is an Ulgian base. I’ll have Canora doing at least this for me. Send all the soldiers there. »  
« Yes, sir! »

Xanxus cursed under his breath. He saw those Ulgian troops surround the house. He cursed even more when Squalo informed him of how many troops had circled them. At that point he said:  
« Why? Who informed them we were here? »  
« Vooi, do I REALLY have to answer? »  
Asked Squalo with an eloquent look on his face.  
« I see. It’s THEM again. »  
« Damn yeah. »  
Then there was a short pause.  
« Trash, do you think we can do it? »  
Squalo grinned, then answered:  
« Hell yeah. »

Squalo went out of the house. He was totally unharmed. He was surrounded by the soldiers, who body-searched him. Seeing that he hadn’t any weapons, they lowered the guard. In that moment Xanxus shot the soldiers from the roof, killing them. Squalo took a tommy-gun and easily killed the remaining soldiers. Xanxus smirked. He felt that Squalo was a reliable companion after all. He could be noisy, or annoying, but he would definitely stand by him, no matter what.  
They took the car, then drove towards their last targets.

_Somewhere, into an apparently ancient manor surrounded by antique ruins and fields of vineyards, he is playing chess alone, his hat covering his eyes. When he makes the white Queen win over a black Pawn he slowly smiles._

« They got away? »  
Hammond was enraged.  
« They were suddenly attacked and the reinforcement troops didn’t have the time to come. »  
The president breathed. That was very bad.  
« We still don’t know all the details, but it seems that the army is now into chaos. »  
« I see. You two go back to the site and report me in full. »  
« Yes, Sir! »  
When the two underlings went away, he opened a drawer and peeked at the gun inside of it, then breathed, tired of all that happened. Then paid a long look at the photo in which his daughter Rosalie and her mother were pictured.

The two underlings, Burke and Wellman, were directed to a garage, ready to go to the Ulgian base. When they turned on the car they saw a man with short black hair and two guns. They were puzzled The man pointed the guns he held towards them and quickly shot two bullets.  
Meanwhile the president was looking at a man with long white hair and a sword attached to his left hand. He paid a last look at the photo he had on his desk, then closed his eyes. At that point he looked at the swordsman before him, his gaze seemed to say “I’m ready, just kill me”. In no time he was finished off by a blow.  
Squalo quietly walked out of the Atride Corporation. Outside there was also Xanxus. Pretending they didn’t know each other they left in different directions. He bumped into Rosalie Hammond. He looked at her for a long instant. She smiled, then went away. Into Squalo’s mind all that remained was the sound of waves.


End file.
